Four shot after thieves target limo party

Four people were wounded in a shooting that started when the occupants of a limousine were apparently targeted for a robbery, St. Petersburg police said.

Two of the nine limo passengers were shot by someone in a stolen Chrysler 300 who pulled up next to the limo at Queensboro Avenue South and 31st Street, police said.

The limo driver, a registered gun owner, told investigators he shot back in self-defense as the Chrysler fled. The limo driver was attempting to call 911 about 2 a.m., when he came upon police investigating an unrelated shooting and stolen vehicle.

An acquaintance of the limo party following behind in a black Nissan Altima was also wounded, but the Altima left the scene before police arrived, investigators said. The man later went to All Children’s Hospital.

The Chrysler 300, which had been reported as stolen March 13, was found about a mile away. Anzio Fabian Dale, 17, was inside with a life-threatening gunshot wound, police said. He was hospitalized in critical condition.

Charges against Dale are pending, police said.

These are details of the preliminary police investigation:

About 9 p.m. Tuesday, the driver of the leased 2013 black Lincoln Continental custom limousine picked up eight passengers from an address near Sixth Avenue South and 29th Street. The party was taken to the Scene nightclub downtown.

Early Wednesday morning, the limo took the party to a convenience store at Fifth Avenue South and 34th Street. Police said some of limo passengers may have been intentionally flashing large sums of cash at the store, which caught the attention of people in the Chrysler and a silver Kia, which has not been located.

A Nissan Altima carrying several acquaintances of the limo passengers followed behind as the limo, owned by Alpha Limo Service, left the store.

At 28th Street South from Fifth Avenue, the limo driver told police he noticed the Chrysler 300 had pulled along its left side and the Kia was coming up on its right.

“It appeared the two vehicles were working in concert with each other to slow or stop the limo,” a police spokesman said.

An occupant of the Chrysler then began to fire multiple gunshots into the limo, wounding passengers Malik Wilson, 23, and Kendrick Haney, 24. Wilson and Haney’s wounds were not considered life-threatening and they were hospitalized in stable condition.

The limo driver, who had a concealed weapons permit, returned fire with his gun.

At Queensboro Avenue South and 31st Street, the limo driver pulled up as police investigated an unrelated shooting incident involving a white Nissan Maxima.

The limo driver informed the officers of what had occurred.

Officers went to the area of the limo shooting and found the stolen 2011 Chrysler on the shoulder of the 700 block of 28th Street South.

Inside was Dale, who was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

A handgun was found in the Chrysler, and detectives believe at least one other person was in car vehicle during the shooting.

The black Nissan Altima later showed up at All Children’s Hospital and dropped off Eugene Chambers, who had been shot in the upper body.

Chambers, 21, told police he was in the Altima following acquaintances in the limo during the shootings. Chambers’ wound was not life-threatening and he was hospitalized in stable condition.

Detectives said they have found no connection to the shooting and the white Nissan Maxima, which was reported stolen out of Tampa and had crack cocaine inside. No victims or blood were found in or around the car.